Sedate lady running 30 July – 05 August 2018 #amrunning #running

Well, I’ve had a very odd running week this week, including the facts that I did my long run on Monday, did longer than I thought because I just CAN’T ADD UP on Saturday and didn’t do what I thought I was going to do on Sunday! But I ran over 20 miles and did 2 hours of yoga, plus two lots of giving back, so that’s got to be good, right?

Monday – as I’m doing this 18 mile Canal Canter on 11 August it was time to fit in one more long run before then. Because I’d done a half-marathon training run with the club on Saturday, I knew I didn’t want to do this on the Sunday, so moved it forward a day, having booked the time off in the morning. Fortunately, this meant I could run with the lovely Claire (and I didn’t fall over this time!)

Liz and Claire at mile 10 (and a bit for me – how does that happen?)

Claire did the race last year so she took me along a chunk of the route for our first 10 miles, we made it to the canal and along the canal, stopping under a bridge where I had topped up my lucozade sport with water but forgot to pause my watch. And just before the canal was this:

What?? Yes, a ski slope, mere miles from my house

It turns out everyone who grew up in Birmingham or kids knows The Ackers but I was amazed! Did I mention there was a hill LIKE THAT next to it we had to run up?

We then ran back to my house where Claire left me (she lives a few doors down on a road that’s pretty full of runners!) and then I did the last 6 on my own (the wiggly bits on the map to the left. I basically went to the park and along to where running club starts in the winter, then kind of spiralled around, taking out-and-backs down some roads to add miles.

I won’t lie, it was a push, but I will have Bernice with me the whole way round and there are tea and cake stations on the run.

I was quite pleased to get a 12:22 split for my last mile, and my total was made slower by those two miles, in the middle of which I forgot to pause my watch. Gah! Speed isn’t important to me as such but I do like to check that I’m, for example, maintaining a regular pace and not dropping consistency as I tire.

I WAS tired after that and didn’t get much work done in the afternoon. Temperatures were a LOT cooler which massively helped: I don’t think I’d have been able to do that in the hot stun.

16 miles 13:13 mm

Wednesday – Did Dave’s yoga class and it was a really good one – I’d stretched a lot after the long run and also on Tuesday and that really helped me: usually after an unaccustomed long run it really shows up in my yoga.

Thursday – A coffee with a friend and lots of work filled up a day which it was actually useful to have as a rest day, I think.

Friday – Did Claire’s yoga class which was HARD on the arms and shoulders but good fun. I did request an easier class going into the race next weekend, although of course it’s my choice how hard I push it.

Saturday – I was down to lead the running club’s beginners’ session and thought I was running 8 miles on Sunday so was going to keep it to that. Then plans changed a bit. So I first of all ran down to the Post Office Parcel Depot and ran back clutching an Iris Murdoch hardback novel (in a box in a bag) in one hand.

0.7 mi 11:32 mm

Then I ran to the park for beginners

0.6 mi 10:40 mm

Then I did 4 min run / 1 min walk round loops of the park with four lovely beginners/returners who all did really well, were eager to learn and were ready for more by the end (that’s how I like to leave them, not worn out).

2.07 mi 13:58 mm

Then I did a wild miscalculation, wanting to get to over 4 miles because Sunday’s plans had changed. I also pushed myself a bit as this was my last effort run before the race – achieving a 10:30 mile for the last full mile, remembering arms and flicking my toes down to push the road away (I can only do this for a bit!).

2.2 mi 11:17 mm

So a total of 5.6 miles, making up my total for the week. Oh well, maths was never my forte!

Sunday – Remember how much I enjoyed watching the work of the officials at the British Championships a few weeks ago? And how I thought I might like to do that? Well, I’m hopefully going to be doing the course to start qualifying next month, but on Saturday I responded to a call for officials to help with the Transplant Games and, after explaining that I wasn’t qualified yet, was welcomed there as an official in training.

One of the long jump pits I worked on; discus cage to the right. It wasn’t deserted, I just chose a good moment!

My apprehensiveness was not warranted – I was warmly welcomed, supported and challenged to try out lots of different things in the field, and yes, the field is where I want to specialise. I was involved with supporting the long jump (9-11 year old and 59-69 year old), discus, shot putt and javelin (twice). It was great fun, tiring, but an honour to support the efforts of these excellent athletes. I’ll be completing my first batch of training as soon as I can!

In the week coming up I’ll probably just do club run gently on Tuesday, then it’s the Canal Canter on Saturday – probably my only official race of the year. Wish us luck!

I was genuinely gobsmacked when we came upon it, then when it was my photo of the day, everyone was just “Oh, yeah: that”. I’m pleased about the run esp as we ran along about half a mile of path that was covered by the Evil Netting Stuff and I was really nervous of it, but was OK.

It’s 18 miles: I was down to do the 26 mile distance when I had to pull out of my spring marathon, but when I went to do an easy 10 miles at the point when I should have been able to, it wasn’t easy enough so I downgraded. I’m a bit scared of the hills and steep canal bridges on the race course, however I’ll be with my friend Bernice and there will be tea and cake stops, so …

Wow! That slope looks a great place for hill repeats (although I don’t really like those HA). I love how you broke your Saturday run into bits and even ran with a book! It’s cool you were able to be an official in training at the Transplant Games and practice/learn techniques. Thanks for linking!

Ha – not the ski slope itself, right? The actual slope next to it, though, is so steep that you have to push your hands onto your thighs to get up, and then it’s terrifying to descend! I like a hill repeat but there’s a limit to my bravery!

And thank you, it’s going to be so cool to be able to train as an official, it was a really fun day even if it was a bit tiring, and having hugs and thanks from the athletes was super. I was in awe of my 60-69 yo lady long jumpers, transplant or no transplant!

Thank you – it’s been a funny balance last week doing one big and one medium run rather than three more balanced ones, but getting the distance in has made me feel a little more confident. It’ll all be over by the next Weekly Wrap-Up!

Wow, your work at the Transplant Games sounds like so much fun!! Why is it called the Transplant Games? I assume it’s for obvious reasons but assuming never really gets anyone anywhere. 🙂

Great job on your long run! And that hill looks like it was tough to run on! And, honestly, I’m sure there are plenty of things around here that I don’t even know exist so I imagine I wouldn’t have known about that ski slope either. LOL

Tea and cake stations? How interesting! Is there literally tea and cake at them?

Correct – everyone competing, from under 5s to over 70s, had had a transplant of some kind, some more than one. It was amazing to see them all.

And thank you. I did feel silly about not knowing that was there but then whatever!

Actual tea and actual cake – we have to take a mug with us! It’s run by the Long Distance Walking Association so people will be out there up to 10 hours if doing the marathon version. I think ther’e a cake competition, actually! I can’t really eat saturated fat but I’m sure Bernice will work hard on that one on my behalf.

Thank you! I am lucky in that I’m self-employed so I can sort of take time off during the week (I worked on Sunday, though, to make up for it) and my friend is usually off on a Monday so can go for runs. It always makes the week feel a bit odd, though (as will racing on a Saturday!).

How nice that you were able to run a good bit of the actual race course to get a preview.. that is always a nice perk! I love that you are volunteering to work with the athletes of the British Championships! Good luck with your upcoming race!

Thank you – yes, this was actually immensely helpful, having now done the race. I even shouted “Thank you, Claire!” when we got onto the canal! The Transplant Games were brilliant fun and I very much enjoyed helping out there.